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Medical malpractice is often due to communication failure

On behalf of Hullverson Law Firm on Thursday, May 21, 2020.

Research has estimated that almost one-third of all medical malpractice complaints in the United States involve communication failures. This is particularly concerning because it means that unnecessary pain and suffering is caused by a failure to adequately manage hospitals and to communicate effectively.

If you have recently had a negative experience when being treated at a hospital, you may believe that the negligence of the hospital staff led you to go through unnecessary pain and suffering. You may also believe that you suffered financially due to this poor treatment. If this is the case, you may be able to take legal action to claim back the damages that you are owed. But first, you should gain a full understanding of how communication failures can lead to medical malpractice.

Negligent communication

Individual staff members are responsible for effectively communicating their concerns about patients and their findings to the appropriate medical staff. Failing to effectively communicate could potentially lead to lives being lost. For example, if a nurse observes that a patient's oxygen levels are going down, they will need to communicate this to the relevant doctor. If they mistakenly report the patient's oxygen levels or they fail to communicate the urgency of the situation, the doctor may not prioritize this patient and may not give them the care that they need. If damages are suffered as a result, this could be an instance of medical malpractice.

Poor hospital management

Additionally, communications between medical providers or systematic communication within the hospital could also lead to damages. For example, if a person's medical folder is mixed up our not correctly updated, mistakes can occur. Perhaps a patient in a coma is allergic to certain medicine, for example. If this medicine allergy is not on their file because it was not updated, and if no one is able to alert the doctors of the allergy, the patient could suffer. In this case, the person who did not correctly manage the patient's medical files could be held liable.

If you or a loved one has recently suffered as a result of poor hospital treatment, you should take swift action to understand the legal options available to you. By making a medical malpractice claim, you may be able to gain back the damages that you deserve.

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